


Pretty

by Madcap_Minstrel



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Animals, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Humor, Pets, Slice of Life, Toddlers, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:20:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26681290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madcap_Minstrel/pseuds/Madcap_Minstrel
Summary: One-shot taking place in the "Ripples" series.  Aeris and Sephiroth's youngest daughter is very much like her mother...particularly when it comes to makeovers.  The unfortunate target?  Sephiroth's beloved pet wolf.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Sephiroth
Kudos: 10





	Pretty

"There we go…" Aeris said as she patted Balthazar on the head.

She had just finished bathing the wolf that the family had taken in years ago. Keter had joined the Rangers Guild and Remielle, Aleph, Malkut, Raziel and Samek were at school, so the house was quiet enough that she could manage the arduous task. Eleven years old may have been of geriatric age for a dog or any other wolf, but a Red Plains Wolf could live for over two decades, so Balthazar was still in the prime of his life. This made bathing the strong (and strong-willed) animal a chore for anyone who undertook the task.

However, Aeris' ability to soothe animals made the chore easier for the petite woman, and she was aided by the presence of her youngest child: three-year-old Sera. Both her youngest and eldest child had their mother's ability to charm animals (Keter was making amazing progress in the guild for that reason alone), and Aeris was now trying to engage her daughter in making any use of that ability.

Now the hose was put away, the dog shampoo safely stored inside the box next to it, and Balthazar was dry, courtesy of a mild heat spell Aeris had cast just moments ago.

"All done?" Sera asked, looking up at her mother.

"All done!" Aeris announced as she stood up and took her daughter's hand. "Now let's get you changed."

"Why?" the toddler asked.

"Because you gave him so many hugs and kisses while he was still wet that now _you're_ wet!" Aeris answered good-naturedly.

"Cast spell!" Sera suggested.

Aeris smiled amusedly. "I only cast a tiny heat spell on Balthazar to dry him off because he can't change his fur. But we can change your clothes, okay?"

"Oh," Sera said, looking slightly disappointed.

"Now we can put on your new pretty dress," Aeris said as she began to lead the girl out the back yard and onto the porch while the wolf followed them.

"I gonna be pretty?" Sera asked, instantly cheered up.

"That's right!"

"Pretty too?" Sera asked, pointing at Balthazar since she couldn't properly say his name yet.

"Yes, he's pretty too," Aeris replied.

Balthazar plopped onto the floor, letting out a loud snort.

Sera looked thoughtful as her mother led her inside the house.

* * *

"There you are," Sephiroth remarked as he saw Aeris in the kitchen, fixing a peanut-butter sandwich for Sera.

"Oh, home for lunch today?" Aeris asked as she put down the butter knife and went over to kiss her husband.

"Nothing too pressing at work, so I thought I might get some peace and quiet while I ate," Sephiroth answered.

"I'll fix you something as well," Aeris said.

"Thank you. Where's Sera?"

"Oh, she's been playing in her room ever since we gave Balthazar a much-needed bath," Aeris told him as she finished Sera's sandwich.

"He smelled fine to me," Sephiroth remarked.

"Well, that was until he chased after the Millers' poodle, who's apparently in heat," Aeris explained as she opened the fridge, looking for something to fix her husband. "He got a bit carried away and slipped in a mud puddle."

"Please tell me you caught him before he could mate with that ugly creature," Sephiroth implored.

"Fifi's honor is intact," Aeris promised him, "You don't have to worry about any…" she then paused, looking thoughtful. "Hmm…a goldendoodle is a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle. What would you even call a cross between a poodle and a red plains wolf?"

"An abomination," Sephiroth answered flatly.

Aeris rolled her eyes as she took some salami out of the refrigerator. She then stepped out of the kitchen. "Sera! Lunch is ready!"

Sera's tiny but loud footsteps could be heard echoing on the hardwood floor as she hurried out of her bedroom, down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed as she ran over to Sephiroth and threw her arms around his leg.

"Hello, Sera," Sephiroth winced as the toddler's three-inch-long summoning horn dug into his thigh.

"Sera, careful so you don't stab Daddy," Aeris reminded her.

"Sorry, Daddy!" Sera moved her head.

"That's all right, no harm done," Sephiroth lied as he patted his daughter on the head, still wincing.

"I got new dress!" Sera announced as she stepped back, showing off the yellow sundress she now wore.

"Yes, it's lovely," Sephiroth remarked.

"I'm pretty!" Sera exclaimed, flinging her arms up.

Sephiroth smiled. "Always."

"Bal-tar pretty too!" Sera added.

"Bal-tha-zar," Sephiroth slowly corrected her, "Can you say that?"

"Nope!" Sera said cheerfully.

Aeris giggled. "That's what you get for giving our wolf a name no toddler can properly pronounce."

"I'll show you!" Sera announced as she ran out of the room, leaving Aeris holding her sandwich for no reason.

"You must have given him a very extensive bath if she's that pleased with the results," Sephiroth commented.

"Well, she was my 'little helper', so I guess she's just proud of her 'handiwork'," Aeris reasoned.

Just then, Sera led Balthazar into the kitchen…or what once had been Balthazar. The wolf was now clad in another one of Sera's dresses, a feather boa, and a very familiar-looking blonde wig and tiara on his head.

Sephiroth stared wordlessly in horror at his beloved wolf, while Aeris immediately bent over the counter as she burst into hysterical laughter.

"Bal-tar pretty too!" Sera explained, gesturing at Balthazar, while the wolf looked up at his master with an expression that read: _How could you allow this to happen to me?!_

"Cloud's wig…!" was all Aeris managed to say before she doubled over again.

Sephiroth briefly wondered how his three-year-old managed to get her hands on the evidence of Cloud's most embarrassing secret.

"Sera…" he said slowly as he stood up and towered over his daughter, "Why did you do that to Balthazar?"

"Mama said I'm pretty, and Bal-tar pretty too, but I make him prettier!" Sera explained, not the least bit intimidated by her father's clear disapproval.

"He's _SO_ pretty…!" Aeris howled, causing Balthazar to raise his head up and let out a mournful howl of his own, the wig somehow staying put.

Normally Sephiroth would have ordered the wolf to be quiet in the house, but he allowed the animal to properly express his dissatisfaction this time.

"All right, this 'makeover' will cease right now…" Sephiroth declared as he moved to take the wig off of Balthazar's head.

"No!" Aeris exclaimed, "Not until I get a picture of this! The other kids need to see this when they get home from school, and I need to send a copy to Keter…!"

"You can't be serious…" Sephiroth said as Aeris managed to compose herself long enough to take her phone out of her pocket.

"'Little Mage" is _very_ serious…" Aeris managed to say before breaking off into giggles again.

Sephiroth glared at his wife. Great…this picture apparently meant so much to her that she was threatening to withhold sex from him that night if she didn't get her way. Rarely did Aeris ever resort to such behavior.

"Do what you will…" Sephiroth growled as he turned around so he wouldn't have to see the whole debacle. Still, he could hear the phone's camera "shutter" clicking a few times.

"Oh no!" Aeris' fit of laughter came back in full force as Balthazar plopped onto the ground again. The wig lurched forward, completely obscuring his eyes. The wolf, apparently too disillusioned with life to even care anymore, remained where he was.

Sephiroth turned around in time to see Aeris guiding Sera over to the poor lupine, taking a few pictures of them both and checking the shots.

"Alright…" his wife snickered as she pocketed the phone, "Dress-up time is now over!" She pulled the wig off of Balthazar, causing his tail to start wagging hopefully. "Up!" she commanded. Balthazar stood up, allowing Aeris to carefully pull the small dress off of his body. The wolf then licked her face in appreciation.

"Sera…" Aeris asked, trying not to dissolve into another laughing fit as she held up the wig, "Where did you get this?"

"Morgan!" Sera answered. Morgan was Cloud and Tifa's daughter.

"Where?" Aeris pressed.

"Attic!" Sera announced, "Big dusty box! Mal found it! Found big purple dress too! Morgan gave me the hair and crown!"

"Cloud and Tifa actually kept those things?" Sephiroth shook his head in disbelief.

"I'll bet you anything it was Tifa's idea…" Aeris said. "Oh, I've got to send her these pictures too…!"

"I'm so sorry, boy…" Sephiroth sighed as he reached over to pet Balthazar.

The wolf immediately turned and walked away with a snort.

"Why is he blaming me?" Sephiroth wondered aloud, irritated.

"In his mind, you let it all happen," Aeris guessed.

"Mama I'm hungry!" Sera piped up.

"Oh, that's right!" Aeris picked up the sandwich again. "Sit at the table, honey."

Sera obediently went over to the kitchen table and pulled herself up onto the chair. Aeris handed her the sandwich and a glass of milk, which the toddler immediately began to eat. She then went to fix her husband's sandwich as well.

"Daddy?"

Sephiroth glanced down at his daughter. "Hmm?"

"Who's 'Little Mage'?" Sera asked cheerfully.

Sephiroth quickly looked away, while Aeris accidentally knocked over a jar of mayonnaise.

* * *

"Where's Daddy?" Sera asked several hours later.

"Taking a nap," Aeris answered, still amused over her husband's reaction to the whole debacle. The other kids had arrived home from school and Aeris had shown them the photographic evidence of their youngest sister's handiwork. Remi, their older daughter, experienced the exact same laughing fit as her mother, and then hi-fived her baby sister for her "brilliancy".

Sephiroth had had enough of the incident and went off to his and Aeris' bedroom to rest.

"'Kay!" Sera said as she ran off to her bedroom. Seconds later, she emerged with the feather boa, Cloud's wig, _and_ a container of red fingerpaint.

"Where are you going now?" Aeris asked, her back turned as she sat on the couch reading her book. Nobody else was around.

"Gonna make Daddy pretty too!" Sera announced as she walked down the hallway toward the master bedroom.

"Okay," Aeris said absently. Then a few seconds later, the full meaning of her daughter's words hit her. She quickly put the book down, stood up and hurried down the hallway. "Sera, wait, sweetie, that's NOT a good idea…!"


End file.
